noun
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a formal invalidation, as of a marriage, judicial proceeding, etc
-
the act of annulling
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of annulment
Explanation
An annulment is the cancellation of revocation of something, like a marriage. After an annulment, it's like the marriage never happened. The root nul (from Latin nullum) of this word is a good clue to its meaning: the underlying verb annul originally meant "reduce to nothing." An annulment also reduces something to nothing by canceling or terminating it, usually in a legal sense. The most common use of the term is the annulment of a marriage, which not only ends the marriage, but legally makes it as if the marriage never happened. Annulment is like a legal eraser.
Vocabulary lists containing annulment
The Renaissance and Reformation, Lessons 5–6
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Notes of a Native Son
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Cold Sassy Tree
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Annulment procedures in the country dropped from 72,308 in 1989 to 23,302 in 2014, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
From Washington Post • Sep. 8, 2015
Gary Hattier’s list, too long to include in its entirety, featured such jewels as The Venus Dialysis, The Westminster Osteopathy, and The Kimbasa Annulment.
From Slate • Aug. 20, 2012
Littlestown, Pa. Annulment or not, divorce or not, remarriage or not--who is to say what is ultimately right or wrong?
From Time Magazine Archive
Annulment of Marriage.—A marriage may be judiciously annulled on the following grounds: 1.
From Marriage and Divorce Laws of the World by Ringrose, Hyacinthe
Annulment of Marriage.—A marriage may be annulled at the instance of one of the parties for the following causes: 1.
From Marriage and Divorce Laws of the World by Ringrose, Hyacinthe
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
